Just as Arya opens her car door, a man emerges from the crowd. "Enough!" He shouts. He's tall, broad, and handsome. His blue eyes meet Arya's, and unprecedented relief floods through her. Gendry. "I said enough," he repeats. "Leave the girl alone."

Gendry plants himself directly between Arya and Joffrey. Arya quickly steps to the side so that she can still see Joffrey glaring furiously at the pair of them.

"Gendry?" Joffrey asks. "What are you doing here? This isn't your business."

"It's my business if I say it is." Arya flashes a glance towards Gendry. His playful blue eyes are hard and steady. His fists are clenched tightly, and his jaw is rigid. He's protecting me, Arya says, and I don't know why, but I'm glad he's here.

Joffrey takes another step forward, but he doesn't look very menacing. Not when Gendry is almost half a foot taller than him. "Gendry- leave. Now. Leave before I make sure you never have another client from the circuit again. Leave before I make sure your tiny excuse for a mechanic's shop goes bankrupt within the month. You know I have the power to make your life crumble to ashes."

Gendry is silent for a moment, but when he speaks, his voice is even harsher than before, "Leave the girl alone."

Joffrey narrows his eyes. "You seem to have a very peculiar interest in this girl. Why do you care what happens to her?" Joffrey's gaze flickers towards Arya, and she furtively tugs down her cap, praying that he won't recognize her. "Is she a friend of yours? A lover, perhaps?"

The word lover makes a deep blush crawl up the back of Arya's neck. "Yes. I know her, but I don't see how our relationship concerns you."

"It concerns me because I want to FUCKING KNOW WHAT THIS BITCH IS DOING ON MY TRACK!" Joffrey's face is bright red. His scream echoes down the road, and the remaining crowd of people all seem to take a step back. Someone so tiny and pathetic shouldn't be allowed to bully so many people, Arya thinks.

"Why don't you try asking me nicely?" Gendry asks. He doesn't bother trying to hide the condescending tone of his voice. For someone who kept trying to warn Arya not to mess with Joffrey, Gendry doesn't seem to be the least bit scared of the little tyrant.

Joffrey takes a sharp breath, perhaps trying to control his rage. "What's her name?"

Arya stills her breath. What if Gendry tells him? He doesn't know the full story. He doesn't know what Joffrey would do if he found out Ned Stark's daughter was racing in San Diego. He doesn't know that Joffrey would immediately accuse Sansa of consorting with the enemy. He doesn't know...

Gendry turns to Arya, and she catches his deep blue eyes. His intense gaze makes her shiver, and she hopes that he can read her thoughts. Don't tell him my name, don't tell him my name, don't tell him my name. Arya repeats the silent chant over and over again. Something flickers in Gendry's gaze, and she prays that he understands.

"I'm waiting," Joffrey says. "It isn't a very hard question, even for a dumb fucking mechanic."

Actually, it's not just Joffrey that's waiting. The entire crowd is silent, and they are all staring at Gendry, waiting for an answer. Everyone wants to know who the mystery girl is, and Arya hopes that they'll never find out. She flashes a glance at Jon who is still sitting on the hood of his car. I wonder how he keeps getting away with it. Living a lie. I've been in San Diego less than a week, and my cover is already about to be blown.

Finally, Gendry turns back towards Joffrey. Arya's pulse starts racing, and her mouth is dry. Please don't tell him. Please don't. Gendry opens his mouth and says, "Her name's Cat."

"Cat?" Joffrey asks.

"Cat of El Cajon." Relief floods through Arya. Thank god Gendry isn't as stupid as he sometimes acts. And the name is oddly fitting. Her parents used to call her a little cat because she would sneak around the house day and night like a cat hunting for tiny mice.

At this point, the tense crowd seems to fill with excitement. A few people even step forward a snap a picture on their cell phone. They're probably sending the photo out to everyone on the circuit: New mystery racer. Cat of El Cajon.

Arya makes sure to keep her head tilted down and the hat pulled low. Joffrey seems to accept her name, but that doesn't mean she's out of trouble. It's time to defend herself instead of having Gendry speak for her. She takes a small step forward, and eyes down, says, "Joffrey, I'm sorry for crashing the race, but it was the only way to get your attention. I'd like the chance to race on your circuit. Legitimately."

"Why would I let you do that? You crash my race. Insult my drivers. Refuse to show your face. I see no reason to let you step foot on this circuit again, much less take part in a race."

Time to flatter the fool, Arya thinks. "Joffrey, this is the best circuit on the West Coast. You know that. Everyone knows that. You run a great operation here, one I've always admired. And I just want to be a part of this great thing you've created. Please. Let me race once, and if you don't like me, I'll leave and never come back."

"Well, you're right about that. This is the best circuit. And not just on the West Coast, but also in the whole country. But I still don't see what's in it for me. Why should I let you race?"

Arya smiles slowly. It must look strange to Joffrey, since he can only see her smile and not her shaded eyes. "Bet on me."

"I bet on my dog."

"Your dog just lost." Arya slips a scrap of paper out of the pocket of her tight black jeans. She balls it up and throws it to Joffrey. "If you want me to show up, have someone contact me. If not, it was nice meeting you Mr. Lannister."

"How do you know my name?"

"Everyone knows your name." With that, Arya turns around and walks back towards her car. As she touches the door handle, she looks up at Gendry. He's staring at her, expression unreadable. "Well are you coming or not?" Arya asks.

Gendry smiles and shakes his head. "I'm coming, little Cat. I'm coming."

The first few minutes of the drive are completely silent. She's done it. She's convinced Joffrey to give her a shot at racing. There's no way he'll reject her now- not after having that conversation in front of so many people. Allowing Cat of El Cajon to race will probably bring in a lot of spectators, which means a lot of money for the betting pools.

But even though Arya has escaped Joffrey's wrath, she still can't relax. She's tense. Her hands are tightly gripping the steering wheel. Because even though Gendry has been silent for these past few minutes, she's just waiting for him to explode. For him to scream. To yell. To lecture-

"What the hell were you thinking, Arya? You could have gotten yourself killed!" And here it goes. Arya glances at Gendry. His eyes are intense, filled with anger and emotion. The roads are blessedly empty, and Arya stares at them as Gendry continues to yell at her. For once in her life, she stays silent and doesn't argue. Let him say what he will, Arya thinks, he just saved my ass. He deserves to yell if he wants to. "You can't just crash a fucking race on Lannister's circuit. I'm surprised Joffrey didn't try to chop your head off. Or what if you had crashed? No one would have even known it was you out there. What if Sandor had listened to Joffrey and beaten the shit out of you? What if you were lying dead in a ditch right now?" Gendry is breathing heavily, and Arya can't help but notice his strong chest as he gathers his breath. She bites her lip and looks away.

"You're being very melodramatic," she says softly.

"You're being an idiot."

"Takes one to know one." Arya switches lanes, speeding back towards central city. "Why did you defend me if I was being so stupid?"

"I was trying to help you. You know, help keep you from getting killed."

"I was doing fine on my own. Besides, if things had gotten really bad, I'm sure Sansa would have helped." And put herself in danger at my expense.

"Maybe," Gendry says. "But you couldn't be sure of that. Joffrey is dangerous. He's a mean man, no, a mean boy with too much power."

"You really hate him."

"Not as much as some people, but yes, I do."

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

Arya doesn't push the issue. She understands that people want their privacy. And Gendry deserves his just as much as she deserves hers. "So are we friends again?" She asks.

"I didn't realize we were friends in the first place."

"Shut up, stupid. Of course we were."

"You're the nicest friend I've ever had."

"Shut up."

"Very sweet and gentle-"

"Shut up!"

"And feminine of course-"

"I said shut it!" Arya swerves the car quickly and then brakes so fast that Gendry, unprepared, jerks forward and bumps his head on the dash.

"Oi! Seriously?" Gendry turns to Arya, blue eyes wild and furious. "If I keep hanging around you, I'm bound to get myself killed.

Arya shrugs her shoulders, but a smile tugs at her lips. "Not my problem."

"Good girl," Arya says as she scratches Nymeria behind the ear. Nymeria is wolfing down a gigantic bowl of food. Usually, Arya feeds her earlier in the night, but now it's almost two in the morning, and Nymeria is obviously starving.

"Good god. How much does that thing eat?" Gendry asks. He's lounging on Arya's bed, long, muscled arms tucked behind his head. His shirt is riding up, and Arya can see a spot of hard, tanned skin. She quickly looks back towards Nymeria. It seems like every other time she looks at Gendry, her logical mind goes out the window.

Arya was never boy crazy. That was always Sansa's job. Sure, she had a few guys she messed around with in high school, but she always got rid of them before it turned into something serious. She didn't like the idea of some stupid, inexperienced high school boy getting her naked. It was just never appealing.

But Gendry's no high school boy, and I'll bet anything that he's very experienced. After all, a grown man doesn't walk around with that body without having loose girls fling themselves at him.

Arya shakes her head, trying to get rid of these thoughts. Gendry is her mechanic and her friend. That's it. "That thing is my dog, and her name is Nymeria," Arya says. "And she gets to eat as much as she likes. She's a growing girl."

"If she grows anymore, she's going to be larger than Sandor."

"Good. Maybe she can rip him a few new scars."

"That's not very nice. Sandor stuck up for you tonight."

Arya turns around and walks towards the bed. She sits on the very edge of the mattress. "No. Sandor stuck up for himself. He was obviously sick of Joffrey bossing him around, so he just used me as an excuse to say 'fuck you' to his boss."

"Look, I'm not saying Sandor is a cute, fuzzy bunny, but no one knows much about the guy except that he's one devil of a racer. Leave Nymeria for Joffrey."

"Cute, fuzzy bunny?"

"Shut up."

Gendry sits up and scoots forward so that he's sitting right next to Arya. She's hyperaware of every move he makes. Of the warmth radiating from his body. "So do you think Joffrey will call?"

"I know he will."

"What makes you say that?"

"He can't live down a challenge. I've put my name out there, and everyone knows it. He has to put me in a race or people will call him a coward."

"He is a coward."

"He's worse than a coward. He's a power hungry fool." Arya sighs. "Let's stop talking about him. It's been a long day, and I don't need to end it with Joffrey on my mind." She rolls back her shoulders, and her back cracks. "Ugh. Too much driving lately."

"Here," Gendry says. He moves forward a bit more so that he can place his warm hands on her small shoulders. Arya's face flushes, and she wonders if Gendry can feel her racing heart. "Lean back a little," he says, his mouth close to her ear. Arya fights back a shiver, but she does as she's told and leans into Gendry's hard body.

"Where's it hurt?"

"Everywhere."

Slowly, Gendry makes his way down Arya's entire back. His large, strong hands massage her neck, rubbing circles just below her jaw. When he makes his way to her lower back, his thumbs press against bare skin, and Arya has to bite back a low moan. It feels unbelievably good to have his hands on her. She's too nervous to talk because she doesn't want him to stop. Ever.

Her entire body slowly relaxes, and she leans back even more so that she's cradled into Gendry's chest. His warm hands are now moving their way down her arms, working out every sore muscle. Arya's eyes start to flutter close, and in the dark, she imagines that Gendry's hands are everywhere. The stress of the day, the warmth of his body consumes her, and Arya falls asleep.

Arya wakes up to her blaring ringtone. "Stupid, fucking custom iPhone ringtone," she mumbles. She really isn't a morning person.

Arya opens her eyes and rubs the sleep out of them. Sighing, she sits up and looks for her phone. That's when she notices that there's a man sleeping in her bed. Gendry.

"Hey!" Arya punches him lightly in the shoulder. When he doesn't wake up, she punches him hard in the shoulder. "Wake up!"

"Ow! What?" Disoriented, Gendry slowly sits up and looks around the room. His gaze lands on Arya. "What'd you hit me for?"

"Who said you could sleep in my bed?" The phone has finally stopped ringing. It must have gone to voicemail.

"No one. I just fell asleep."

"You just fell asleep?"

Gendry pushes a hand through his messy hair. "Well, yeah."

"Get out of my bed."

"Hey, what's the big deal?"

There is no big deal. Arya is completely overreacting, and she knows it. Yet, she can't seem to relax. Last night. Everything with Gendry was too close for comfort. She can't have him sleeping in her bed. It'll make things complicated, and her life is complicated enough without him.

She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm not a morning person. But for the future, you cannot just sleep in my bed. This is my bed. You have your own bed."

"All right, all right." Gendry stands up and as the sheets slide off of him, Arya notices that he's shirtless. Her mouth dries. She can't believe she was sleeping next to that bare, very sculpted body last night without realizing it.

Her eyes widen. "Where the hell is your shirt?"

Gendry shrugs. "I guess I took it off when I was sleeping. It's kind of warm in here."

Yes it is. "Get your shirt and go home, Gendry."

"My cars still at the track. You drove me here, remember?"

"Well why-" Arya is about to start yelling at him again, but she realizes she sounds like a total bitch. "Right. Of course, you're right. Look, grab your shirt and go outside. I'll meet you at my car in a couple minutes, and I'll drive you back to the track."

Gendry shakes his head and smirks. "You really aren't a morning person."

"Another reason not to sleep in my bed uninvited."

"What about if I am invited?"

Arya's face flushes. She opens her mouth, but no words come out. She spies Gendry's shirt on the bed, so she grabs it, balls it up, and throws it to him. "Go outside. Wait at the car. Okay?"

Another smirk. "Okay."

A/N – Sorry it took me so long to update. I made the chapter all Arya / Gendry to make up for it. I hope you enjoyed!

Thank you so so much for all of the reviews / alerts/ favorites. It always makes me smile when someone appreciates my story.

Thanks for reading!